Conventionally, image processing apparatus are known in the technical field, which are equipped with functions (namely, function called as “Scan to FTP”) capable of transmitting images read out from originals in image scanner units via networks to servers (refer to, for instance, JP-A-2002-344678, paragraph [0002]).
An image processing apparatus having such a function can directly transmit images from the own image processing apparatus to a server on a network. As a result, when the images are transmitted to the server, the image transmitting operation to the server can be carried out by solely employing the image processing apparatus even if the images are not once transferred from the image processing apparatus to another terminal apparatus (for instance, personal computer).
On the other hand, very recently, such Web pages corresponding to a track back function are increased among Web pages opened on the Internet. This track back function implies such a function which is prepared in order that a hyper link to a certain Web page “a” is registered (reverse-linked) into another Web page “b.” For instance, among Web pages and the like which have modes called as “blog (namely, abbreviated from “Weblog”), there are many cases which employ this track back function.
An idea of this track back function will now be explained by exemplifying such a case that the own Web page “a” (blog “a”) is present on a blog server “A”, and a Web page “b” (blog “b”) of another person is present in another blog server “B.”
In the case of this example, for instance, a manager of the Web page “a” edits an article “a1” described on the own Web page “a” on a personal computer (will be referred to as “PC” hereinafter), and then, accesses the blog server “A” from this PC via a network, so that the article “a1” can be uploaded to the blog server A.
At this time, when the manager of the Web page “a” wants to register the hyper link to the article “a1” described in the Web page “a” into the Web page “b” of another person (otherwise, article “b1” described in Web page “b”), the manager of the Web page “a” transmits from the PC to the blog server A, such an information which is required for performing a track back notification from the blog server “A” to the blog server “B.” In this case, an address which constitutes a transmission source of the track back notification (will be referred to as “track back destination address” hereinafter), and the like are contained in the information which is required to perform the track back notification to be transmitted.
This track back destination address is also referred to as a “track back URL” (symbol “URL” indicates Uniform Resource Locator). It should be understood that for the sake of clearly discriminating a URL of a track back source from a URL of a track back destination, such technical terms as a track back destination address, or a track back destination URL, and a track back source address, or a track back source URL will be employed, but a technical term of “track back URL” is not used.
Normally, in the case that the article “b1” described in the Web page “b” is made in correspondence with the track back function, a track back destination address corresponding to this article b1 is described in any place within the Web page “b.” As a consequence, the manager of the Web page “a” can grasp the track back destination address descried in the Web page “b” by referring to the Web page “b”, and can transmit this track back destination address from the PC to the blog server “A.”
When the article “a1” is uploaded from the PC, the blog server “A” saves the uploaded article “a1” in a file. Thereafter, in the case that a request for viewing the Web page “a” is issued from a terminal apparatus on the network, the Web page “a” containing the article “a1” can be distributed with respect to the terminal apparatus which becomes the request source due to the Web page distribution function provided by the blog server “A.” Also, when the article “a1” was uploaded from the PC, if the track back destination address has been received in combination with the article “a1”, then the blog server “A” transmits a track back notification with respect to the track back destination address due to the track back notification transmission function provided in the blog server “A.” While this track back notification is also called as a “track back ping”, such an information related to a track back source (in this case, article “a1” contained in Web page “a”) has been contained in the track back notification.
On the other hand, while the blog server “B” is equipped with a track back notification reception function, such a track back notification which is transmitted by the blog server “A” to the track back destination address is received by the blog server “B.” Upon reception of the track back notification, the blog server “B” registers a hyperlink to the article “a1” contained in the Web page “a” into such a Web page “b” (otherwise, article “b1” contained in Web page “b”) corresponding to the track back destination address. Subsequently, in the case that a request for viewing the Web page “b” is issued from a terminal apparatus on the network, the blog server “B” can distribute the Web page “b” containing the hyper link to the article “a1” contained in the Web page “a” with respect to the terminal apparatus which constitutes the request source due to a Web page distribution function provided in the blog server “B.”